Flexible flavor gradient container and packaged liquid-based food item

ABSTRACT

A flexible package for a liquid-based food item and a packaged liquid-based food item, such as a soup. A flexible package or pouch includes an outer member or pouch and an inner dividing member or pouch that is disposed or positioned inside the outer member to define inner and outer cavities. A liquid, such as water or broth, and one or more seasonings are placed in the inner cavity. Particulates, such as meat and vegetable particulates and, if necessary, water, are placed in the outer cavity. Seasonings are separated from particulates, and the seasoning does not diffuse into the particulates. Thus, the tastes of the individual ingredients are maintained. A sealing member extends across a tops of the inner and outer members to close the package. When the sealing member is removed to open the package, the water or broth with the seasoning, and the particulates and any water can be poured from their respective cavities in a single motion. By reducing or eliminating diffusion of seasonings into particulates, reduced quantities of salt and other seasonings can be added to processed soup products and allows salt and other seasonings to be added just prior to cooking, providing more natural flavor. Separating broth and particulates within a container can also reduce sterilization times.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to containers and packaging forfood items. More specifically, the invention relates to containers andpackages for liquid based food items that separate ingredients of thefood item.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, soup and other related liquid-based food items are eitherhome made or processed and packaged by commercial preparers of suchproducts. Home made soups may provide the most natural and appealingtaste, particularly since they can include selected ingredients andseasonings to suit individual preferences. Preparing home made soups,however, can require a substantial amount of time. For example,particulates, such as vegetables and meat items, must be prepared, whichmay involve washing and cutting vegetables and meats. The vegetable andmeat ingredients are added to water or a broth, which can includeseasonings and flavorings, such as salt, pepper, sugar, garlic andonion, etc. These seasonings can also be added to water. The ingredientsare then heated and served. Packaged, processed, ready-to-eat soups havebecome very popular since they are convenient and can be quickly andeasily prepared compared to home made soups. A typical can of processedsoup includes a mixture of various ingredients, including a broth or aliquid stock, particulates such as meats and vegetables in differentcombinations, and seasonings, including salt. In use, a consumer opensthe can, empties the contents of the can into a pan or bowl, and heatsthe soup over a range or in a microwave oven.

The manner of making processed soups is well known. Typically, they aremade by metering a predetermined quantity of an ingredient or mixture ofselected ingredients, which are combined and mixed in a can. A lid isplaced on the can and the lid and the can are sealed together. Thesealed can is sterilized and pressurized and prepared for storage ordistribution. Sterilization involves exposing the can of soup totemperatures from about 240° F. to about 265° F. for about 12-60 minutesdepending on the container size, soup thickness and rate of agitation.Sterilization issues are of particular concern with the meat andvegetable ingredients within the mixture because they may containpathogens, which must be rendered commercially sterile for shelfstability or pasteurized in the case of refrigerated distribution. Theheat source must be applied for a sufficient amount of time so that thethermal center of the food in the container achieves commercialsterility or pasteurization.

Processed soups typically have relatively large quantities of salt(sodium chloride), which is the main source of sodium in foods. Largequantities of salt are typically used to provide a sufficient flavorimpact to a consumer. Sodium is carried in the broth, and over time, thesodium diffuses or migrates from the broth into particulates, such asmeats and vegetables. This “sodium diffusion” typically occurs duringprocessing or distribution of the prepared soups (e.g., sterilization,pressurization, freezing, refrigeration, storage and distribution).Thus, a commercial preparer of soups must add enough salt to the can tocompensate for sodium diffusion so that a desired flavor impact isachieved. Although a package soup delivers an adequate salt content, itcontains salt levels that are typically higher than those consideredhealthy for consumers.

Home made soups and other liquid-based food items, such as stews, on theother hand, typically do not these high quantities of salt since thesalt is mostly concentrated in the surrounding broth. Thus, home madesoups and stews taste fresher and healthier and have lower salt contentscompared to processed food items, while still providing desirable flavorimpact.

High sodium contents may cause various health problems, particularlyconsidering United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)recommendations and that it is generally accepted that high sodium dietscan contribute to health problems, such as high blood pressure. Forexample, a single can of certain processed “Chunky” brand soupsavailable from Campbell Soup Company has about 1,800 mg of sodium, or900 mg per serving. The USDA recommends that the amount of salt consumedon a daily basis not exceed 2,400 mg. Thus, a single can of processed,ready-to-eat soup almost meets the recommended daily allowance ofsodium.

Attempts have been made to reduce sodium content by reducing thequantity of salt that is added to a can of soup. While the objective ison the right track, the taste of the resulting processed soup may not besatisfactory since the reduced amount of salt is absorbed by theparticulates and does not provide sufficient salt flavor.

Processed soups and other liquid-based food items, therefore, can beimproved. Soups can be made to deliver a more natural, home-cooked tasteby providing a naturally occurring flavor gradient so that sodium doesnot diffuse into particulates. In other words, it is desirable that saltremains in the surrounding broth and is added to the particulates whenthe soup is prepared. The amount of salt and sodium that is added toprocessed foods should also be reduced to provide a healthier food item,while not sacrificing taste. Reducing the amount of sodium in processedsoups can contribute to healthier diets.

Further, processed soups can be prepared and processed more efficiently.Known sterilization steps must apply heat to a can of soup for asufficient amount of time to ensure mass average sterilization and/orthermal center sterilization or pasteurization of the soup mixture,particularly the meat and vegetable particulates. The time required forthe middle sections of the soup mixture to be heated can be reducedwhile still achieving the desired sterilization, thereby maximizingnutrient retention, color, flavor and other quality attributes, whileprocessing soup products in a more efficient manner.

Accordingly, there exists a need for improved and healthier processedsoup products and other liquid based food items that have reduced saltand sodium contents, have acceptable flavor impact, and that can beprocessed more efficiently than known processed soup products andliquid-based food items.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a segmented pouch for a liquid-based fooditem includes a flexible outer pouch, a flexible inner pouch, and aseal. The flexible inner pouch is disposed within the flexible outerpouch so that an inner surface of the flexible inner pouch at leastpartially defines an inner cavity, and an outer surface of the flexibleinner pouch and an inner surface of the flexible outer pouch define anouter cavity. The seal extends across tops of the flexible inner andouter pouches and closes the inner and outer cavities. The inner cavitycan be filled with a liquid and a seasoning and the outer cavity can befilled with particulates so that the seasoning and the particulates areseparated from each other. When the seal is removed or broken to openthe segmented pouch, the liquid, the seasoning, and the particulates arepourable from their respective inner and outer cavities in a singlemotion.

According to another embodiment, a segmented pouch for a liquid-basedfood item includes a flexible plastic outer pouch, a flexible plasticinner pouch, and a seal. The flexible plastic outer pouch includes agusseted bottom surface that enables the segmented pouch to standupright. The flexible plastic inner pouch is disposed within theflexible outer pouch so that an inner surface of the flexible plasticinner pouch at least partially defines an inner cavity, and an outersurface of the flexible plastic inner pouch and an inner surface of theflexible plastic outer pouch define an outer cavity. The seal extendsacross tops of the flexible plastic inner and outer pouches and closesthe inner and outer cavities. The inner cavity can be filled with aseasoning and a liquid and the outer cavity can be filled withparticulates so that the seasoning and the particulates are separatedfrom each other. When the seal is removed or broken to open thesegmented pouch, the liquid, the seasoning, and the particulates arepourable from their respective inner and outer cavities in a singlemotion.

In accordance with a further alternative embodiment is a packagedliquid-based food item that includes a flexible outer pouch, a flexibleinner pouch, a seal, a liquid, a seasoning and a plurality ofparticulates. The flexible inner pouch is disposed within the flexibleouter pouch. An inner surface of the flexible inner pouch at leastpartially defines an inner cavity. An outer surface of the flexibleinner pouch and an inner surface of the flexible outer pouch define anouter cavity. A seal extends across the tops of the flexible inner andouter pouches and closes the inner and outer cavities. The inner cavityis filled with a seasoning and liquid, and the outer cavity is filledwith particulates. Thus, the seasoning and particulates are separatedfrom each other. When seal is removed or broken to open the pouch, theliquid, the seasoning, and the particulates are pourable from theirrespective inner and outer cavities in a single motion.

In various embodiments, the height of the outer pouch and outer cavitycan be greater than that of the inner pouch and inner cavity. The widthof the outer pouch and outer cavity can be the same or greater than thatof the inner pouch and inner cavity. The inner and outer pouches canhave various shapes, e.g., rectangular and square shapes.

The inner and outer pouches can be transparent or translucent plasticmaterial. Lateral support members can extend between outer sides of theinner pouch and inner sides of the outer pouch.

The pouch can be gusseted so that the pouch can stand upright. Forexample, the bottom surface of the outer pouch can be gusseted. Theouter cavity can extend into areas defined by the gusseted bottomsurface. A tear strip extends along the seal of the inner and outerpouches and can be tom or broken to access the contents in the outer andinner cavities, e.g., ingredients of a soup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numbers representcorresponding parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is top view of a segmented container for a liquid-based food itemaccording to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative cross-sectional view of a liquid based fooditem having the container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, illustratingseparation of particulates and seasonings according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 is bottom view of a lid having a sealing member or cushionaccording to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2showing how sterilization is improved by separating particulates withina container according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 further illustrates heat transfer characteristics of packageembodiments shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is top view of a container for a liquid-based food item accordingto another embodiment that includes an offset inner dividing member;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is bottom view of a lid according to one embodiment that can beused with the container shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is top view of a container for a liquid-based food itemaccording to a further embodiment that includes an inner dividing memberthat extends between inner surfaces of an outer member;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is bottom view of a lid according to one embodiment for use withthe container shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is top view of a container for a liquid-based food itemaccording to another alternative embodiment that includes a square- orrectangular-shaped inner dividing member;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is bottom view of a lid according to one embodiment for use withthe container shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is top view of a container for a liquid-based food itemaccording to yet a further alternative embodiment that includes an innerdividing member that is connected to an inner surface of an outermember;

FIG. 17 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is bottom view of a lid according to one embodiment for use withthe container shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is top view of a container for a liquid-based food itemaccording to another alternative embodiment that includes an innerdividing member that is connected to an inner surface of an outer memberand that extends partially between the top and bottom of the outermember;

FIG. 20 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is bottom view of a lid according to one embodiment for use withthe container shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is top view of a square- or rectangular-shaped container for aliquid-based food item according to another embodiment that includes aninner dividing member;

FIG. 23 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is bottom view of a lid according to one embodiment for use withthe container shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a front view of a flexible segmented pouch for a liquid-basedfood item according to one embodiment having a “pouch within a pouch” inwhich the widths of the inner and outer members are the same;

FIG. 26 is a side view of the flexible segmented pouch shown in FIG. 26;

FIG. 27 is a front view of a flexible segmented pouch for a liquid-basedfood item according to one embodiment having a “pouch within a pouch” inwhich the width of the inner member is less than the width of the outermember;

FIG. 28 is a side view of the flexible segmented pouch shown in FIG. 26;

FIG. 29 illustrates a flexible segmented pouch for a liquid based fooditem having a “pouch within a pouch” in which the width of the innermember is less than the width of the outer member; and

FIG. 30 is a flow chart illustrating preparation of a packagedliquid-based food item according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of segmented or flavor gradient package of container, apackaged liquid-based food item, and a method of manufacturing apackaged liquid-based food item are described. With various embodiments,soups and other liquid-based food items (generally “soup”) can beprepared so that flavorings and seasonings, such as salt, pepper, sugar,onion powder or flavoring, garlic powder or flavoring, and any necessarycolorings (hereafter referred to as “seasonings”) in a broth do notdiffuse or migrate into particulates, such as meats and vegetables.Rather, the broth and the seasonings are stored in one segment, andparticulates and water (as necessary) are stored in another segment. Insome applications, a portion of the seasonings (and colorants ifnecessary) can be added to the particulate containing segment to providean improved flavor impact. In use, the package or container is tiltedand the broth and seasonings are poured out with the particulates andwater from the respective cavities in a single pouring motion. As aresult, the soup product is more similar to home made soups since theseasoning is added just prior to cooking, thus providing a more naturaltasting product compared to typical processed soups in which the saltand sodium diffuses into the particulates. Since salt is not fullyabsorbed by particulates, a similar salt or flavor impact can beprovided with reduced amounts of salt, thereby providing a soup withmore natural taste and a healthier soup with reduced sodium contentscompared to known processed soup products.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, one embodiment of a container or package 100suitable for a liquid-based food item, such as a soup and a stew,includes an outer member 110 and an inner dividing member 120. The outerand inner members 110 and 120 may have various shapes.

In the illustrated embodiment, the outer and inner members 110 and 120are cylindrical, 25 however, other shapes can be utilized.

The outer member 110 includes an inner surface 111 and an outer surface112, which is typically handled by a consumer, a bottom surface 113 anda top edge or surface 114. The inner dividing member 120 is disposed orpositioned inside of the outer member 110 and includes an inner surface121, an outer surface 122, a top edge or surface 123 and a bottom 30edge or surface 124. In the illustrated embodiment the inner surface 121of the inner member 120 defines a vertical, inner cavity 125, e.g., acircular or cylindrical cavity. An outer cavity 115 is defined betweenthe outer surface 122 of the inner member 120 and the inner surface 111of the outer member 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer andinner members 110 and 120 are cylindrical and concentric, or share acommon axis or center point. Thus, the corresponding outer cavity 115 isannular or ring-like, and the inner cavity 125 is cylindrical.

The outer and inner members 110 and 120 may be formed using varioustechniques and food-grade materials. For example, the inner and outermembers 110 and 120 can be substantially rigid and made of asubstantially rigid metal or plastic, e.g., aluminum and other materialsthat are used to make soup cans and packages. The outer and innermembers 110 and 120 can be formed together as a unitary piece or,alternatively, connected together using, for example, adhesive orwelding, depending on the materials that are selected. As a furtheralternative, the inner and outer members 110 and 120 can be plastic andmade using, for example, injection molding. Thus, in these embodiments,the outer and inner cavities 115 and 125 have pre-defined shapes.Further, the inner member 120 can be hollow so that the bottom of thehollow inner member 120 is sealed against the bottom 113 of the outermember 110, or the inner member 120 can have its own bottom surface.Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that various segmentedconfigurations can be made with various techniques and materials.

Referring to FIG. 3, the inner cavity 125 is filled with a liquid orbroth 300 containing seasonings 302. The outer cavity 115 is filed withparticulate ingredients 310. Water 311 or other liquids can be added tothe outer cavity 115, as necessary, so that the particulates 310 can bepoured out of the package 100 with the water. Exemplary particulatesinclude meat particulates, such as chicken, beef, turkey and meatsubstitutes, and vegetable particulates, such as celery, carrots, corn,peas, beans and potatoes. Particulates 310 may also include noodles andrice. Thus, the seasonings 302, including salt, are separated fromparticulates 310 that would otherwise absorb the seasonings 302 if theywere not separated.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, a sealing member 320, such as a lid or cover asillustrated, is placed on top of the package, i.e., over top edges orsurfaces 114 and 124 of the outer and inner members 110 and 120, toclose the package 100. The inner cavity 125 extends between radius r=oand radius r₁ The outer cavity 115 extends between radius r, and radiusr₂.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the sealing member 320 includes abody or plate 322 and a sealing member or cushion 324. The cushion 324can be, for example, Teflon®, rubber or another food-grade material. Thesealing cushion 324 is shaped and positioned so that it overlays the topedge or surface 124 of the inner member 120 to ensure that the contentsof the inner cavity 125 do not leak into the outer cavity 115 holdingthe particulates. Thus, the cushion 324 is preferably larger than radiusr₁. The cushion can be shaped appropriately to mate with the to edge orsurface 124.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2, the top surface 124 of the innermember 120 has a circular shape and is placed in the middle of the spacedefined by the outer member 110. The sealing cushion 324, as shown inFIG. 4 can be correspondingly shaped and sized to cover the top circularsection of the inner member 120 when the lid 320 is placed over theinner and outer members 110 and 120 to seal or close the package 100.This can be accomplished with a circularly shaped cushion 324, asillustrated. However, the sealing cushion 324 may or may not have asimilar shape as the top edge or surface 124 of the inner member 120since a sealing cushion 324 having various shapes and sizes canadequately cover and seal the top of the inner member 120. For example,the cushion 324 may be a solid piece that occupies most of the bottomsurface 322 of the sealing member, or as a ring, as shown in FIG. 3.Accordingly, sealing cushions 324 having various shapes and sizes can beused to cover and seal top edges or surfaces 124 of various shapes andsizes.

The sealing member 320 is placed on top of the container after the innercavity 125 is filled with broth 300 and seasonings 302 and the outercavity 115 is filled with particulates 310 and water or other liquids311. Thus, all or the majority of the salt and other seasonings 320remain contained in the inner cavity 125, advantageously separated fromthe particulates 310 in the outer cavity 115. This separation ismaintained from the beginning of production, during storage,distribution, sales, and subsequent consumer storage, therebymaintaining a flavor gradient to prevent “sodium diffusion” or otherflavorings into the particulates.

Referring to FIG. 5, separating particulates 310 and broth and seasoningcomponents 302 provides the additional benefit of more efficientsterilization. In the illustrated embodiment, the particulates 310 areretained and concentrated in the outer cavity 115 and against the innersurface 111 of the outer member 110. As a result, heat 500 is moreeasily applied to the particulates 310 since they are concentrated in aparticular area in the package and removed from the thermal geometricalcenter of the container, rather than being diffused and mixed togetherthroughout the package as in conventional processed soups. Thus,embodiments provide for faster heat transfer and faster sterilizationcompared to traditional soup mixtures since the particulates 310 areseparated from the faster heating thermolabile broth or fluid center 300with salt, sugar and other seasonings 302. In other words, the fluidcenter is more readily sterilized by heat 500. Further, while heat isbeing applied to the particulates in the outer cavity 115, theparticulates 310 are also heated by conductive heating from theconvective heated fluid center. One can selectively control the heattransfer within the segmented container by selectively “insulating” theconcentric material 120, 121 and 122 illustrated in FIG. 1.

As a result of the segmented configuration, shorter heating durationscan be used to achieve the same sterilization results while optimizingflavor, color and nutrient retention. In contrast, traditional soupshaving mixtures of ingredients require longer heating durations sincethe particulates are mixed together with the broth and are not heated aseasily, since thermal processes have to be assumed at the thermal centerof the container which is typically along the axis of the containerwhere heating lags are notable when compared to the outer layers of thecontainer. Thus, the traditional soup or food containers require longerheating durations. Further, food items according to various embodimentsare subjected to less heat 500. This reduced thermal stress, results ina higher quality food item that is not otherwise subjected tounnecessary heating and flavor and texture degradation.

The benefit of faster sterilization times and reduced thermal stress onthe food item is further illustrated in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, theheat transfer 500 to the center or to a particular width of a concentricring can be determined as follows:Liquid or particulate: T=j _(rl)*(T ₁ −T ₀)*10^((−/fh))This equation represents the heat transfer in the water, broth or pureeafter the curvilinear heating (Hayakawa, 1980) has been transposed. Insome foods there are “broken” heating curves that require to solve theequation through specific mathematical algorithms for varying values off_(h). Numerical solutions can also be applied to solve heat transferwithin containers. The governing differential equations vary and followsimple energy balances as shown in the following one dimensionalequationk*p*c _(p) * dT/dt=a*d ² t/dr ²

-   -   for 0 <x <r1 in axi-symmetric heating        Boundary conditions have to be defined according to heating        medium characteristics where T=Temperature of food

j=heating lag factor in the liquid or solid particles

r=dimensional location within the container

Tl=Heating medium temperature

To=Initial food temperature

f=empirically measured heating rates

h=heat transfer coefficient

k=thermal conductivity of food

p (rho)=food density

Cp=food specific heat

This equation represents a simplified heat transfer system and oneversed in the science of heat transfer would conclude that multiplecomplex conditions of heat transfer would apply. The solutions currentlyapplied in the industry typically require numerical solutions to complexpartial differential equations. Exemplary numerical methods includefinite differences and finite elements.

Various other package designs can be utilized to provide a flavorgradient in liquid-based food items and/or provide more efficientsterilization by separating out particulates from thermolable brothhaving seasonings.

In one alternative embodiment, referring to FIGS. 7-9, the verticalinner dividing member 120 can be offset relative to the outer member 110so that the inner and outer members 120 and 110 do not share a commoncenter point or axis, as do the embodiments shown in FIG. 1-6.

In another alternative embodiment, referring to FIGS. 10-12, thevertical inner dividing member 110 may be connected to the inner surface111 of the outer member 110. In this embodiment, the inner cavity 125 isdefined by a combination of the inner surface 111 of the outer member110, and an inner surface 121 of the inner member 120.

A further alternative embodiment is shown in FIGS. 13-15, In theillustrated embodiment, the inner dividing member 110 can have a squareor rectangular shape, and the outer member 120 can have a cylindricalshape. The sealing cushion 324 can also have a corresponding square orrectangle shape, or be large enough to cover the square-shaped innermember 110. The inner member 110 can have other shapes besidescylindrical, square and rectangle shapes, as necessary.

FIGS. 16-18 illustrate yet a further alternative embodiment. The innerdividing member 120 can be side-mounted to an inner surface 111 of theouter member 110 using side mounting component 1600. As shown in theFigures, in this embodiment, the inner member 120 extends between thetop 114 and the bottom 113 of the outer member 110. It may or may not benecessary to secure the bottom of the inner dividing member 120 to abottom of the outer member 110. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 19-21,a similar side-mounting configuration can be used, and the inner member120 can extend from the top 114 and partially down into the outer member110. In other words, the bottom 123 of the inner member 120 may besuspended above the bottom 113 of the outer member 110. A smaller innercavity 125 area may be useful if, for example, a higher concentrationbroth or brine is utilized, and less volume is needed to contain thebroth. The particulates 310 and water 311 can also flow around thebottom of the suspended inner member 120 shown in FIGS. 19-21.

Further alternative embodiments are shown in FIGS. 22-24. In thisembodiment, the outer member 110 and package design can be square orrectangular rather than cylindrical. Further, the shape of the innerdividing member 120 can be cylindrical (as illustrated) or square, suchas shown in FIGS. 13-15.

FIGS. 25-27 illustrate an additional alternative embodiment of asegmented container or package that provides a flavor gradient. Thepackage is a flexible pouch 2500 and, more particularly, a “pouch withina pouch” that includes an outer member or pouch 2510 and an innerdividing member or pouch 2520. The outer member 2510 includes two panels2511 and 2512, and the inner member 2520 includes two panels 2521 and2522. The outer member 2510 and the inner member 2520 are flexible,e.g., flexible plastic. The plastic can be transparent, translucent orcolored.

A seal 2530 extends across the tops 2514 and 2524 of the outer and innermembers 2510 and 2520. The seal 2530 can be, for example, heat seal. Thesides of the outer and inner members 2510 and 2520 can be similarlysealed. A tear strip 2532 can be provided across a top portion of thepackage to allow a consumer to tear open the top of the sealed packageand access the contents in the outer and inner pockets or cavities 2515and 2525 and allow the contents to be poured out of the package in asingle pouring motion.

The outer member 2510 includes an inner surface and an outer surface.The inner member 2520 includes an inner surface and an outer surface.The inner surface of the inner member 2520 at least partially defines aninner pocket or cavity 2525 for holding seasonings. An outer pocket orcavity 2515 is defined between the outer surface of the inner member2520 and the inner surface of the outer member 2510. The outer pocket2515 includes particulates, such as meat and vegetable particulates, andwater, as necessary. The pouch 2500 shown in FIGS. 25-27 is shown havingliquid for purposes of illustration, but the outer and inner cavities2515 and 2525 can be filled with various ingredients as appropriate. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the inner member 2520 is shorter than theouter member 2510 so that the outer member 2510 and the outer cavity2515 substantially envelope the inner member 2520, i.e., the side andbottom portions of the inner member 2520.

The flexible segmented pouch 2500 provides a flavor gradient byseparating the salt and other seasonings from particulates, and allowinga consumer to empty the pouch contents in a single motion. Theembodiment of a segmented pouch also decreases sterilization times sinceparticulates are concentrated in one area or pocket and can be readilyheated through a plastic material. Further, the outer and inner membersare flexible, thus allowing the package to assume different shapes. Thepackages are also durable since they are made of plastic or otherdurable flexible materials.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 25-27, the pouch 2500 includes agusseted bottom 2540 that is formed by bottom portions of the outermember 2510 being folded upwardly at 2542. The bottom of the pouch 2500is flexible and flares outwardly, thereby forming a base or bottom 2540upon which the pouch can stand. As shown in FIG. 25, the outer cavity2515 can extend into an area defined by the gusseted bottom 2540. Inalternative embodiments, the bottom can be non-gusseted.

FIGS. 28-30 illustrate an alternative embodiment of a flexible segmentedpackage or pouch 2800. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 28-30 is similar tothe embodiment shown in FIGS. 25-27 in that the pouch 2800 includesflexible outer and inner members 2810 and 2820 that form outer and innercavities 2815 and 2825 and a gusseted bottom 2840 to form a base uponwhich the package 2800 can stand. The tops 2814 and 2824 are sealed. Atear strip, although not shown, can also be used to allow the tops ofthe pouch to be easily opened.

The package 2800 shown in FIGS. 28-30 includes an inner member or pouch2810 having a width that is less than the width of the outer member orpouch 2820. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner member 2820 isdisposed or positioned centrally within the outer member 2810. The widthof the narrower inner member 2820 can vary as needed. The outer cavity2825 can extend into an area defined by the gusseted bottom 2840. Inalternative embodiments, the bottom of the package can be non-gusseted.

FIG. 31 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of a pouch 3100that is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 28-30, but includes adifferent bottom or base 3140. In the illustrated embodiment, the base3140 extends outwardly from the front of the package to allow thepackage to stand upright.

FIG. 32 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a segmented pouch thatis similar to the pouch shown in FIG. 28 and further illustrates lateralsupport members 3200 that extend between the sides of the inner memberor pouch 2820 to the sides of the outer member or pouch 2810. Thus, whenthe tops of the outer and inner members 2810 and 2820 are broken ortorn, the inner member 2820 is laterally supported by members 3200, andthe contents can be poured from their respective outer and innercavities 2815 and 2825. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 33, the sidesand the bottom of the inner member 2820 may be unattached to the outermember 2810.

Referring to FIG. 34, in a further alternative embodiments, the innermember or pouch 2820 and inner cavity 2825 can be displaced from thecentral portion of the outer member or pouch 2810. In the illustratedembodiment, the inner member 2820 is disposed along one side of theouter member 2810. This configuration may be beneficial when, forexample, the pouch is tilted to one side to pour the contents from therespective cavities 2815 and 2825.

FIG. 35 illustrates a method of making a packaged liquid-based food itemcan be summarized as follows, although additional details have beenpreviously discussed. In step 3500 a segmented package having an outermember and an inner dividing member is provided. In step 3510 the innercavity is filled with a liquid and seasonings. In step 3520, the othercavity is filled with particulates and any necessary water or broth. Theinner and outer cavities may be filled simultaneously or at differenttimes depending on the configuration of the equipment. As a result, thebroth and seasonings are separated from the particulates so that theseasonings do not diffuse into the particulates. The package is thensealed by placing a sealing member across over the inner and outermembers in step 3530.

The tops of the outer and inner members can be different heights so thatthe tops can be engaged more easily by a filling machine. Additionally,a vacuum can be used to engage the outer faces of the outer member andto make the inner and outer cavities more accessible. A filling machinecan a rotary machine that includes multiple heads, or multiple stagefilling process can be used.

The embodiments shown and described are not intended to be limiting, butare provided for purposes of explanation and illustration. Varioussegmented package configurations, shapes, sizes and designs can be usedto provide a flavor gradient. For example, the containers can have asize suitable for both individual consumption and for commercial orlarge scale use. Further, square-or rectangular-shaped outer members canbe paired with inner members having cylindrical, square, rectangular orother shapes. Similarly, cylindrical-shaped outer members can be pairedwith inner members having cylindrical, square, rectangular or othershapes. Further, the inner members can be concentric or offset relativeto the outer member, stand-alone or connected to the inner surface ofthe outer member. The inner members can extend between the top andbottom of an outer member or a portion thereof. The package can also bedesigned so that the package is easy to hold, e.g., the outer member canbe contoured to fit a person's hand. Thus, persons skilled in the artwill appreciate that various segmented designs that provide flavorgradients can be utilized depending on, for example, food itemingredients, concentrations and packaging considerations.

1. A segmented pouch for a liquid-based food item, comprising: aflexible outer pouch; a flexible inner pouch disposed within theflexible outer pouch, wherein an inner surface of the flexible innerpouch at least partially defines an inner cavity, and an outer surfaceof the flexible inner pouch and an inner surface of the flexible outerpouch define an outer cavity; and a seal that extends across tops of theflexible inner and outer pouches and closes the inner and outercavities, whereby the inner cavity can be filled with a liquid and aseasoning and the outer cavity can be filled with particulates so thatthe seasoning and the particulates are separated from each other, andwhen the seal is removed or broken to open the segmented pouch, theliquid, the seasoning, and the particulates are pourable from theirrespective inner and outer cavities in a single motion.
 2. The segmentedpouch of claim 1, wherein a height of the outer pouch is greater than aheight of the inner pouch.
 3. The segmented pouch of claim 1, wherein awidth of the outer pouch is the same as a width of the inner pouch. 4.The segmented pouch of claim 1, wherein a width of the outer pouch isgreater than a width of the inner pouch.
 5. The segmented pouch of claim1, wherein a height of the outer cavity is greater than a height of theinner cavity.
 6. The segmented pouch of claim 1, wherein a width of theouter cavity is the same as a width of the inner cavity.
 7. Thesegmented pouch of claim 1, wherein a width of the outer cavity isgreater than a width of the inner cavity.
 8. The segmented pouch ofclaim 1, wherein the outer cavity substantially envelopes the innercavity.
 9. The segmented pouch of claim 1, wherein the inner and outerpouches are plastic.
 10. The segmented pouch of claim 1, wherein theouter pouch is transparent or translucent.
 11. The segmented pouch ofclaim 1, wherein the inner pouch is transparent or translucent.
 12. Thesegmented pouch of claim 1, further comprising lateral support membersthat extend between outer sides of the inner pouch and inner sides ofthe outer pouch.
 13. The segmented pouch of claim 1, wherein a bottom ofthe outer pouch is gusseted.
 14. The segmented pouch of claim 13,wherein the gusseted bottom enables the segmented pouch to standupright.
 15. The segmented pouch of claim 13, wherein the outer cavityextends into areas defined by the gusseted bottom.
 17. The segmentedpouch of claim 1, further comprising a tear strip that extends along theseal of the inner and outer pouches, wherein the tear strip can be tornto break the seal and access the outer and inner cavities.
 18. Thesegmented pouch of claim 1, wherein the inner and outer pouches have arectangular or square shape.
 19. The segmented pouch of claim 1, whereinboth sides and the tops of the inner and outer pouches are sealedtogether, and the bottom of the outer pouch is gusseted.
 20. A segmentedpouch for a liquid-based food item, comprising: a flexible plastic outerpouch having a gusseted bottom that enables the segmented pouch to standupright; a flexible plastic inner pouch disposed within the flexibleouter pouch, wherein an inner surface of the flexible plastic innerpouch at least partially defines an inner cavity, and an outer surfaceof the flexible plastic inner pouch and an inner surface of the flexibleplastic outer pouch define an outer cavity; and a seal that extendsacross tops of the flexible plastic inner and outer pouches and closesthe inner and outer cavities, whereby the inner cavity can be filledwith a seasoning and a liquid and the outer cavity can be filled withparticulates so that the seasoning and the particulates are separatedfrom each other, and when the seal is removed or broken to open thesegmented pouch, the liquid, the seasoning, and the particulates arepourable from their respective inner and outer cavities in a singlemotion.
 21. The segmented pouch of claim 20, wherein a height of theouter pouch is greater than a height of the inner pouch.
 22. Thesegmented pouch of claim 20, wherein a width of the outer pouch is thesame as a width of the inner pouch.
 23. The segmented pouch of claim 20,wherein a width of the outer pouch is greater than a width of the innerpouch.
 24. The segmented pouch of claim 20, wherein a height of theouter cavity is greater than a height of the inner cavity.
 25. Thesegmented pouch of claim 20, wherein a width of the outer cavity is thesame as a width of the inner cavity.
 26. The segmented pouch of claim20, wherein a width of the outer cavity is greater than a width of theinner cavity.
 27. The segmented pouch of claim 20, wherein the outercavity substantially envelopes the inner cavity.
 28. The segmented pouchof claim 20, wherein the outer pouch is transparent or translucent. 29.The segmented pouch of claim 20, wherein the inner pouch is transparentor translucent.
 30. The segmented pouch of claim 20, further comprisinglateral support members that extend between outer sides of the innerpouch and inner sides of the outer pouch.
 31. The segmented pouch ofclaim 20, wherein the outer cavity extends into areas defined by thegusseted bottom.
 32. The segmented pouch of claim 20, further comprisinga tear strip extending along the seal of the inner and outer pouches,wherein the tear strip can be torn to break the seal and access theouter and inner cavities.
 33. The segmented pouch of claim 20, whereinthe inner and outer pouches have a rectangular or square shape.
 34. Apackaged liquid-based food item, comprising a flexible outer pouch; aflexible inner pouch disposed within the flexible outer pouch, whereinan inner surface of the flexible inner pouch at least partially definesan inner cavity, and an outer surface of the flexible inner pouch and aninner surface of the flexible outer pouch define an outer cavity; a sealthat extends across tops of the flexible inner and outer pouches andcloses the inner and outer cavities; a liquid; a seasoning; and aplurality of particulates, wherein the inner cavity is filled with theseasoning and the liquid and the outer cavity is filled with theplurality of particulates so that the seasoning and the particulates areseparated from each other, and when the seal is removed or broken toopen the segmented pouch, the liquid, the seasoning, and theparticulates are pourable from their respective inner and outer cavitiesin a single motion.
 35. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 34,wherein the outer cavity includes the plurality of particulates andwater.
 36. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein aheight of the outer pouch is greater than a height of the inner pouch.37. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein a width ofthe outer pouch is the same as a width of the inner pouch.
 38. Thepackaged liquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein a width of theouter pouch is greater than a width of the inner pouch.
 39. The packagedliquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein a height of the outer cavityis greater than a height of the inner cavity.
 40. The packagedliquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein a width of the outer cavityis the same as a width of the inner cavity.
 41. The packagedliquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein a width of the outer cavityis greater than a width of the inner cavity.
 42. The packagedliquid-based food item of claim 34, wherein the outer cavitysubstantially envelopes the inner cavity.
 43. The packaged liquid-basedfood item of claim 34, further comprising lateral support members thatextend between outer sides of the inner pouch and inner sides of theouter pouch.
 44. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 34,wherein a bottom of the outer pouch is gusseted and enables thesegmented pouch to stand upright.
 45. The package liquid-based food itemof claim 34, wherein the seasoning, the liquid and the plurality ofparticulates are ingredients of a soup.
 46. A packaged liquid-based fooditem, comprising a flexible plastic outer pouch having a gusseted bottomthat enables the segmented pouch to stand upright; a flexible plasticinner pouch disposed within the flexible plastic outer pouch, wherein aninner surface of the flexible plastic inner pouch at least partiallydefines an inner cavity, and an outer surface of the flexible plasticinner pouch and an inner surface of the flexible plastic outer pouchdefine an outer cavity; a seal that extends across tops of the flexibleplastic inner and outer pouches and closes the inner and outer cavities;a liquid; a seasoning; and a plurality of particulates, wherein theinner cavity is filled with the seasoning and the liquid and the outercavity is filled with the plurality of particulates so that theseasoning and the particulates are separated from each other, and whenthe seal is removed or broken to open the segmented pouch, the liquid,the seasoning, and the particulates are pourable from their respectiveinner and outer cavities in a single motion.
 47. The packagedliquid-based food item of claim 46, wherein the outer cavity includesthe plurality of particulates and water.
 48. The packaged liquid-basedfood item of claim 46, wherein a height of the outer pouch is greaterthan a height of the inner pouch.
 49. The packaged liquid-based fooditem of claim 46, wherein a width of the outer pouch is the same as awidth of the inner pouch.
 50. The packaged liquid-based food item ofclaim 46, wherein a width of the outer pouch is greater than a width ofthe inner pouch.
 51. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 46,wherein a height of the outer cavity is greater than a height of theinner cavity.
 52. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 46,wherein a width of the outer cavity is the same as a width of the innercavity.
 53. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 46, wherein awidth of the outer cavity is greater than a width of the inner cavity.54. The packaged liquid-based food item of claim 46, wherein the outercavity substantially envelopes the inner cavity.
 55. The packagedliquid-based food item of claim 46, fuirther comprising lateral supportmembers that extend between outer sides of the inner pouch and innersides of the outer pouch.
 56. The package liquid-based food item ofclaim 34, wherein the seasoning, the liquid and the plurality ofparticulates are ingredients of a soup.